Edgar Allan Poe — “The Poetic Principle”

Reading and Reference Texts:

Reading copy:

“The Poetic Principle” — reading copy

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Historical Texts:

Manuscripts and Authorized Printings:

Text-01 — “The Poetic Principle” — written before December 20, 1848 — manuscript,
apparently lost — (Poe first delivered the lecture on December 20, 1848 for the Franklin Lyceum at Howard’s Hall in
Providence, Rhode Island. This version was stolen from Poe’s valise in Philadelphia sometime June 30 - July 7, 1849, along
with the original manuscript of his lecture on “American Poetry.”)

Text-02 — “The Poetic Principle” — written before August 17, 1849 — having lost
the original manuscript, Poe rewrote it for his lectures in Virginia (This manuscript is also apparently lost, but presumably
recorded in Text 03) — (Poe delivered this version of the lecture in Richmond on August 17, 1849 at the Exchange Concert Rooms
in Richmond, Virginia; and September 14, 1849 in Norfolk, Virginia. The manuscript itself appears to have been among the few items
found in his trunk after his death. In a letter of July 29, 1850, Bayard Taylor, acting for Griswold, offered to sell the article to
George Graham for $50 for the benefit of Mrs. Clemm. Graham apparently declined, and it seems instead to have been purchased for
publication by John Sartain. The manuscript itself was probably destroyed by Griswold’s typesetters in preparing his text.)
(Poe apparently refers to writing this lecture in the postscript of his letter of November 26, 1848 to Sarah Helen Whitman.)

Text-03 — “The Poetic Principle” — September 1850
— Works (Although this judgement may be somewhat controversial, it appears that only Griswold had access to the
manuscript, Text-02, and thus his is the only official printing of an authorized version.)

Reprints:

“The Poetic Principle” — August 31, 1850 — Home
Journal — (Although technically the earliest printing, this text acknowledges itself as being from advance sheets of
Text-03, and is thus best regarded as a kind of reprint. In any case, it has no special authority from Poe, directly or implied.)

“The Poetic Principle” — October 1850 —
Sartain’s Union Magazine (issued about September 16, 1850.) (The text is noted as “from the unpublished
manuscript,” but is more likely taken from proof-sheets of Text-03. Although Stuart and Susan Levine presume that Sartain
purchased the manuscript from Taylor, and thus had direct access to Poe’s original text, the relevant portion of
Taylor’s note reads: “Would you like to have for your October number, an unpublished article by Poe, on ‘The
Poetic Principle?’ I can get it for you. It will make about 6 pages of the Magazine; $50 are asked for it, for the benefit of
Mrs. Clemm. I have the proof-sheets of it (the book will appear about the middle of October) and will send them if you want the
article and the terms suit you.” Thus, it seems clear that Taylor is selling proof-sheets rather than the manuscript.)

“Lecture on the Poetic Principle” — October 8, 1850 — Semi-Weekly Examiner
(Richmond, VA) (Printed on page 1, beginning near the top of column 1 and running to a small portion of column 7. The heading reads:
“LECTURE ON THE POETIC PRICIPLE," and the byline as “BY THE LATE EDGAR A. POE.” The only other note of attribution
is the comment: “Delivered at the Exchange Concert Room, Richmond, and elsewhere.” The text appears to have been
reprinted from Griswold’s edition, and may have been placed, at Griswold’s, request by John R. Thompson.)

“The Poetic Principle” — April 17, 1881 — The Bloomington Bulletin (Illinois)
(Vol. I, no. 60, the Sunday Edition, quotes Poe’s full essay on the full front page, continuing on page three, without any
explanation other than “Lecture by Edgar A. Poe.” Presumably, the small paper needed a considerable amount of filler and
Poe’s article served this purpose admirably, while also lending a sense of literary class.)